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CoachC · 11-15-2005, 05:21 PM

What I always take issue with is schools which say "We're RANKED right up there with Schools X. Y, and, Z" - because I feel as if those programs which make such claims rarely do so with ANY justification but have many high school students, usually those who are very uninformed about MT a profession as well as college MT programs, who latch onto these claims of elite status. I think we should also be straight-up about something here on this board, and I'll do it: currenly, the "best" MT's schools, by "conventional wisdom" in the field, are CCM, NYU, CMU, UM, and probably also OCU (the most recent addition to this grouping). BoCo used to be in the top and may still be, but I don't hear it spoken about as strongly as I did in th 90's. Northwestern may also be in this grouping. I think the statement about which schools are considered "best" is valuable to any student auditioning - and I also think the BEST way to define that is by asking "Which schools' names elicit the most respect among NYC casting directors?" In GENERAL, the list above is the current hot crop of schools. For EVERY school I listed, I'm sure that there are many people on the board who can produce 5 anecdotes about casting directors who generally HATE grads of one of those schools, and 10 anecdotes about other. less well-known programs which have better reps in various casting arenas - and I know this, because I, too could produce those anecdotes. HOWEVER, I think we do NO student good by pretending that their aren't "top" schools BY REPUTATION. This does NOT mean, as is often discussed here, that a "top" school is a great fit for everyone, no matter how great his or her talent level may be, and that you cannot get a "top" education at another school. But I have no affiliation with ANY of these schools, and I have or have had students at Point Park, CMU, Emerson, BoCo, UM, CCM, AMDA, Wright State, Pace, Northwestern, FSU, the Unversity of Akron, UCLA...and many others that aren't coming to mind right now. And my policy is honesty with my students - in addition to telling them WHY the "top" schools are currently considered as such (various reasons for each, but usually having a lot to do with how many grads each currently has working in regional and national arenas and HOW THESE ACTORS ARE PERCEIVED AS WORKERS), I also tell them what our wise ones here always proclaim

: find the school that is best for YOU!!!

While true "rankings" DO NOT exist (hear that, all??? THERE ARE NO "OFFICIAL" RANKINGS OF MT PROGRAMS!!!), you will find that students IN collegiate programs who have a clear view of their field and their peers will rattle off the SAME list of "top" programs, as these are the people they see regularly achieving success (in summer stocks, in New York and regional auditions, etc.) This does NOT demean other programs that exist - but saying you went to Harvard Medical School is NOT the same as saying you went to XYZ Medical School, ya know? The implications about the quality and rigorousness of the education are carried by the name Harvard Med School and have been ESTABLISHED OVER TIME based on the work of grads of that Med School. Can you become a FANTASTIC doctor going to ANY medical school? Probably yes - or at least going to MOST medical schools, if you have the talent and the drive. But is it RIGHT for XYZ Med School to say "we're just as good as Harvard?" ONLY if they have A LOT of PROOF to back that up!!!! The "proof" is SOMEWHAT in how students feel about the program and the "quality of the education," but THAT is very subjective, and can really only be judged by looking at GRADS WHO ARE WORKING. If the education IS "quality," then a large % of grads will be working - yes, yes, I know, people choose to leave MT for many reasons, but those of you inclined to argue should still get my general point and its validity. If the point of studying MT in college is to become a WORKING MT ACTOR, then the gauge of a program above all is where are the grads working, and how many grads are working?

So students, be AWARE of the REALITIES of each program - and part of that DOES include national and REGIONAL reputation. (Some schools don't have national reps but are really well-know and well-respected in certain areas of the country, which is helpful if you want to work in that area.) And the way to find out that rep is NOT to ask the school - the best schools usually don't brag, b/c they don't have to. Read CC - look at playbill.com and see which schools the performers attended (and do this ANY time you read a playbill) - talk to working performers - talk to those who have auditioned in the past, especially those attending top schools now, and find out WHY they auditioned where they did...Again, you will almost always hear a few "top" schools in EACH list.

One final point - considering MT programs and their direct relation to MT employment is VERY different from considering this for straight acting programs. I know much less about the latter, but I know enough (esp. through colleagues who are working BFA and MFA actors) to know they aren't the same animal.

11-15-2005, 05:21 PM	#24
CoachC Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Threads: 25 Posts: 545	What I always take issue with is schools which say "We're RANKED right up there with Schools X. Y, and, Z" - because I feel as if those programs which make such claims rarely do so with ANY justification but have many high school students, usually those who are very uninformed about MT a profession as well as college MT programs, who latch onto these claims of elite status. I think we should also be straight-up about something here on this board, and I'll do it: currenly, the "best" MT's schools, by "conventional wisdom" in the field, are CCM, NYU, CMU, UM, and probably also OCU (the most recent addition to this grouping). BoCo used to be in the top and may still be, but I don't hear it spoken about as strongly as I did in th 90's. Northwestern may also be in this grouping. I think the statement about which schools are considered "best" is valuable to any student auditioning - and I also think the BEST way to define that is by asking "Which schools' names elicit the most respect among NYC casting directors?" In GENERAL, the list above is the current hot crop of schools. For EVERY school I listed, I'm sure that there are many people on the board who can produce 5 anecdotes about casting directors who generally HATE grads of one of those schools, and 10 anecdotes about other. less well-known programs which have better reps in various casting arenas - and I know this, because I, too could produce those anecdotes. HOWEVER, I think we do NO student good by pretending that their aren't "top" schools BY REPUTATION. This does NOT mean, as is often discussed here, that a "top" school is a great fit for everyone, no matter how great his or her talent level may be, and that you cannot get a "top" education at another school. But I have no affiliation with ANY of these schools, and I have or have had students at Point Park, CMU, Emerson, BoCo, UM, CCM, AMDA, Wright State, Pace, Northwestern, FSU, the Unversity of Akron, UCLA...and many others that aren't coming to mind right now. And my policy is honesty with my students - in addition to telling them WHY the "top" schools are currently considered as such (various reasons for each, but usually having a lot to do with how many grads each currently has working in regional and national arenas and HOW THESE ACTORS ARE PERCEIVED AS WORKERS), I also tell them what our wise ones here always proclaim : find the school that is best for YOU!!! While true "rankings" DO NOT exist (hear that, all??? THERE ARE NO "OFFICIAL" RANKINGS OF MT PROGRAMS!!!), you will find that students IN collegiate programs who have a clear view of their field and their peers will rattle off the SAME list of "top" programs, as these are the people they see regularly achieving success (in summer stocks, in New York and regional auditions, etc.) This does NOT demean other programs that exist - but saying you went to Harvard Medical School is NOT the same as saying you went to XYZ Medical School, ya know? The implications about the quality and rigorousness of the education are carried by the name Harvard Med School and have been ESTABLISHED OVER TIME based on the work of grads of that Med School. Can you become a FANTASTIC doctor going to ANY medical school? Probably yes - or at least going to MOST medical schools, if you have the talent and the drive. But is it RIGHT for XYZ Med School to say "we're just as good as Harvard?" ONLY if they have A LOT of PROOF to back that up!!!! The "proof" is SOMEWHAT in how students feel about the program and the "quality of the education," but THAT is very subjective, and can really only be judged by looking at GRADS WHO ARE WORKING. If the education IS "quality," then a large % of grads will be working - yes, yes, I know, people choose to leave MT for many reasons, but those of you inclined to argue should still get my general point and its validity. If the point of studying MT in college is to become a WORKING MT ACTOR, then the gauge of a program above all is where are the grads working, and how many grads are working? So students, be AWARE of the REALITIES of each program - and part of that DOES include national and REGIONAL reputation. (Some schools don't have national reps but are really well-know and well-respected in certain areas of the country, which is helpful if you want to work in that area.) And the way to find out that rep is NOT to ask the school - the best schools usually don't brag, b/c they don't have to. Read CC - look at playbill.com and see which schools the performers attended (and do this ANY time you read a playbill) - talk to working performers - talk to those who have auditioned in the past, especially those attending top schools now, and find out WHY they auditioned where they did...Again, you will almost always hear a few "top" schools in EACH list. One final point - considering MT programs and their direct relation to MT employment is VERY different from considering this for straight acting programs. I know much less about the latter, but I know enough (esp. through colleagues who are working BFA and MFA actors) to know they aren't the same animal.